2000 Rounds a Minute
by Micah Debrink
Summary: It was an abyss too tempting to fall in. The abyss of passion.


(In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of the Snivy family of Pokémon. Read and enjoy; be sure to check out the other stories in the series!)

(Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or the Pokémon characters mentioned.)

2000 Rounds a Minute

Hello there. I'm writing this to you from an airplane, flying high above who knows where in Kanto right now. All I can say is the greater part of this mind I've been bestowed with is taken up with the thought: how did I even get to this place? I turn my head back from the cockpit. The passengers are terrified. If this is what power feels like, maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this. I guess I'll start from the beginning.

* * *

"Good job, Danny." That's my name. I'm a Snivy who attended grade school at the time. I was getting a bit older, so Mother, a Serperior, thought it was time.

"That Leaf Tornado was excellent," she gently praised me. She was teaching me my Pokémon attacks. Some wild Pokémon must discover their moves on their own. Some Pokémon choose to go to a trainer to truly master their moves. And then some Pokémon choose to learn moves through their family.

"One more time, Danny." I fired. I was dripping in sweat from all the effort, but I had to challenge myself.

"No, I can't, Mom!" I gave up after a few seconds.

"Push yourself! Try harder!" She implored. So I did.

"Excellent job, that was the best one yet. Now, my son, I want you to listen to me."

I went up close to Mother.

"There are many different Pokémon in this world…some who are up to evil intention. They may try to persuade you otherwise…but no matter what, nothing can beat a well-trained Pokémon. Understand that."

I nodded proudly.

"Good! Now take a shower and get dressed for dinner."

* * *

I'll never forget that day it happened. Mom was busy, so I was outside our house, honing in on my moves. I had to perfect the Leaf Tornado. I aimed at a tree in the dense forest around our house, the perfect home for us Grass types I guess—because I was not alone. After firing, I heard a rustling in the undergrowth. _Oh no…did I hit someone?_

"Who's there!?" He, wait no, _she_ yelled out. It was a Servine, my evolved form. I was only just beginning to learn about the Circle of Life and all that jazz…but damn, she was _hot_.

"Who are you?" She faced me, an automatic rifle toted on her, a pistol in her hand.

"I'm…I'm…Danny. What's…er…your name?" I wasn't nervous at her loaded weapons. Well, I maybe I was; I trembled at those piercing, fearsome, and yet oh-so-sexy eyes loaded on her slender figure.

"Okay…I'm not here to fight." She tossed her pistol into the forest. "What I'm trying to say is…I see you've been practicing your Pokémon moves lately, I see."

"Yes."

"But…do you know…what is real power?" She reached closer to me. Oh, Arceus she smelled great. _If only I could be with her together…alone._ In hindsight, one phrase comes to mind: careful what you wish for.

She retreated slowly. "Real power, Danny, is human power. See this automatic I have? We stole it from the human's military arsenal. It fires 2000 rounds a minute…this is just raw power here."

"You stole from the military arsenal? You can't do that!" I didn't know well enough back then. Maybe my mother coddled me too much from the world.

"Hehe…I like you," she merely said. I was about to say something else that would have piqued her interest, but she continued, "So what do you say? You want real power like this…you can join us. We're a whole group that uses these weapons to exercise _power._ Interested?"

All I really wanted was to be with her. "I…don't think…I don't think I caught your name."

"It's Sasha. Now you are wasting time. Are you in?"

"I don't know…I still have school to go to."

"Who needs school…when you can have power? And me? Me, all to yourself." She must have caught my attraction to her.

"I don't know…Mother would be afraid."

"Screw her. Let's go." She still had that smile painted on her face.

"I sorry…no." I prepared myself for what would happen next.

"But I must demand that you travel with us." Her voice grew more beguiling. "In fact…I insist." She whipped out a machete I didn't even know she had on her. "Move one step and I'll butcher you right here. There's a great demand for Snivy skin bags on the black market."

"What…what are you really?" Okay, by now, the crush had subsided…there were more pressing issued as she poked at my tender flesh with the blade.

She spoke as the blade pressed on my skin. "We are the Pokémon Unification Militia. The government formed our group to promote equality of humans and Pokémon…to give us a little power. And oh yeah, we got power. We became so powerful to handle…the human military cannot defeat us. You know why? They've got that stupid conscience in their heads. We Pokémon…are more simple minded. When we set out to something…we don't stop at nothing. If kill, we kill. If rape, we rape. It's just who we are. Think about it, Danny. When was the last time you gave someone mercy…because they were a Pokémon?"

"I…I…" I struggled to come up with something…and then I came to realize. "Never."

"Exactly. Do you see what I see what I mean?"

"But I promise I will get better! I will become a kinder, more responsible Pokémon in this world. I will break the mold! And you are not helping me!" My voice quivered in absolute terror.

"Okay…I sympathize with you." She slowly drew away her blade. "So I'll cut you a deal. I'll challenge you to a Pokémon battle. I'll use my weapons. You'll use your Pokémon moves. If you win, I'll get out of your life forever, and I won't ask you to be in our group ever again." _That wouldn't be good. Oh stop it! She's a terrorist, for Arceus sake! Why am I in love with her?_ "But if I win…you must join our team, acknowledging you lost, fair and square."

"Fine." I merely said.

"Let's begin. Start!"

It was probably the shortest Pokémon battle in history of all Pokémon. I was able to quickly charge up my Leaf Tornado thanks to the abundant foliage in the woods…but before I could fire, there was a flash…and I lost control of everything. After who knows how long I regained consciousness. My head faced the sky…everything was a blur from the impact. I was able to make out the lower portion of Sasha looming beside me, not the least bit scathed. She won.

"I only shot you with airsoft bullets…they're painful but not life threatening." She continued pacing around me.

"Face it, Danny." The triumphant Servine loomed over. "When it comes to power, Pokémon attacks are for those pathetic trainers who go to their little Pokémon league. You need real power, Danny. Come with us. And you won't suffer anymore."

* * *

"Freeze! Put your hands up! Now!" Sasha stormed into the Pokémon center, followed by me. At least ten staff and trainers were taken down instantly by rifle. We hacked into the PC, and retrieved all the Pokémon. Time elapsed: 23 seconds. Friends gained: None. Contraband gained: 200 Pokémon. Trauma experienced: Immeasurable on both sides.

"Good, now we need to get a plane to fly out of here before we get caught." I loaded the Pokeballs into the truck waiting for us outside.

We sat in the cargo hold, slowly regaining our senses and composure. Having been with the Pokémon Unification Militia for about seven months now, I learned you never really recover from those 23 seconds. You never really recover from all the 23 seconds on the journey. I was reflecting on what happened…and I happened to glance up—oh Arceus. How did Sasha sneak up to me? It was time to do the thing that always helped ease the stressful job. Enjoying…each other. I guess I was glad we were in the cargo hold of the truck because the driver would have been annoyed and disgusted at the things we did in there. We'd…fallen in love. And that was the only sweet rose that grew out of this rut I'd dug myself into.

"We've stopped." Sasha suddenly said. "We must be at the airport. You know what to do. Move! Don't wait for me. Get into the plane! Now!"

I quickly forced my way into the plane cabin, placing the attendants and passengers at gunpoint. The police were after me…for jumping across security and hijacking a plane…but they weren't fast enough to get me. I'm a pretty fast runner, if you want to know. _Strange…I didn't get the signal from Sasha that the contraband was loaded in the cargo hold. Oh, whatever, it probably is._ I pulled out of the tarmac, full speed—I must have ran over some people because I could feel some bumps as I quickly taxied to the runway. I needed to fly to the PUM's secret headquarters somewhere in the Sevii Islands. _Ring ring._ My cell phone rang. _That's strange; I thought I told no one to call me._ After getting into the PUM I received a special cell phone so I couldn't be wiretapped or tracked down. Who was it calling me?

"You have one new voicemail."

I thought "what the heck" and set the plane on autopilot while I listened to the voicemail.

"Hello? Hello? Danny, it's me. It's Mother." I froze. _How did she manage to find me?_ "Listen, I just want you to know…I love you very much…and I might not support this terrorist group you ran away to…but if you never see me again, I want you to know you have my blessing. Go and pursue your dreams. And just remember you have someone at home. And my doors are always open. No matter what you do, I'll always love you. If you have to kill me…it's the least I can do for you. Bye."

Before I could let it sink in, there was another phone call.

"Hello?"

"Is this Danny?"

"Who is this?" I was on guard. It could be an undercover cop.

"I am the leader of the PUM. Listen: Sasha has been caught at the airport by police for smuggling contraband. It never got on the plane. I need you to turn back to Vermillion City immediately. We have another load waiting for you."

"But…"

"Understood?" Boy, he sounded menacing over the phone.

"Yessir."

He hung up.

* * *

I finished writing how I got to where I am. And then reality hit. What was I now? Just a lonely Pokémon, high in the clouds, who struck fear upon the people…it was a curse. The Danny touch. Sasha wasn't even onboard all this time. Even if I couldn't see her (she was to hide in the cargo hold)…the thought that she was onboard had made me…comfortable. Now those clouds didn't feel like fluffy pillows anymore. Just a false illusion that I tried to convince myself was the truth. I'd just fall straight through the clouds if I tried to stand on them. This is where it ends.

I shifted course for my hometown, an isolated village in the outskirts of Unova. I could see my house from below. The terrified passengers saw their hijacker open the door, parachute pack strapped on, and jump out. Just like that. I turned on the autopilot. A robot is more trustworthy than a terrorist.

When I landed just outside my house, it was the only time I fell so low…and felt so great. I left behind the hole I dug for seven months, trying to reach the burning core of the earth's center. It was fine if I didn't have that glowing orb of power. I'd burn myself trying, anyway. I just covered up the hole…and moved on.

"Welcome home, Danny." Mother said, she was so excited. "Did you have a fun trip? Tell Mother all about it." To this day, I didn't know how she kept such a positive attitude during that time. I guess that's unconditional love. Sasha and I…it was conditional. I had to be with her. Alone. I later grew to resent that.

But I will _always_ love you. You both. The parent, and the casual fling. Sweet chrysanthemum, fluttering rose petals. Leaf Tornado, automatic rifle. A blessing, an imprisonment. Reality, just a dream.

I woke from the dream. Because I am a well-trained Pokémon.


End file.
